UNEP Reports Energy-Efficient Buildings Key to Tackling Climate Change
Copenhagen, 11 December 2007 Energy-efficient buildings could significantly contribute to reducing the risks of climate change, said a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today. The study entitled "Buildings and Climate Change - Summary for Decision Makers" called for buildings to be included in any declaration on emissions reductions coming out of December's COP15 meeting in Copenhagen.
According to the UNEP report, the huge potential of the building sector for combating climate change remains virtually untapped.
"In countries such as China, where new construction over the next ten years will equal the size of all existing buildings in the United States, realizing this potential from the start is imperative for reaching any climate mitigation goals," said Under-Secretary General and UNEP's Executive Director Achim Steiner. "Failure to do so will literally mean that we build ourselves into a high-emissions future, where we will continue wasting large amounts of money and energy on buildings unnecessarily," he added.
